Top five things to love about the 2018 Triumph Tiger 800

We've just returned from the press ride of the updated, 2018 Triumph Tiger 800. With over 200 changes  mechanical and cosmetic both  Triumph is clearly keen on upping the game in the middleweight adventure tourer segment. Here's the top five things about the new Tiger 800 that are bound to make you fall in love with it.

The 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 features all-LED lights which look nicer, offer better illumination and are lighter in weight too

LED lighting

The 2018 Tiger 800 features full-LED headlights that not only look a whole lot better than last year's model, but also offer far better illumination. Goes without saying, the white light from the LEDs looks a lot more appealing too. The headlights are slashed horizontally by strips of LEDs that function as daytime running lamps and again, are positioned in a very appealing manner. Another highlight? The new headlamp unit on the 2018 Tiger 800 is lighter than the older by 542gms. That's a weight saving of half a kilo right there!

The 2018 Triumph Tiger 800's new 5 inch TFT colour screen is shared with the Street

TFT Display

For 2018, Triumph has equipped the Tiger 800 with the same, fully-digital, multi-colour 5-inch TFT display as the Street Triple RS. The unit looks smashing with its multiple colours and layout and even allows you to change themes to alter the way the speedometer, tachometer and gear indicator are displayed. The resolution is crisp and the unit is also quick to change to a 'dark' theme as soon as it gets slightly dark to offer better readability. That said, the unit is fully legible in bright sunlight as well. It offers staggering amounts of information including riding modes, tripmeter et al and is quick to respond to inputs via the five-way joystick on the left handlebar. The TFT display is on offer on all variants of the 2018 Tiger 800, except the base XR. Highlight? The display can also be angled to suit riders of varying heights to ensure maximum visibility.

Riding modes feature at the bottom of the display and off-road pro mode is the one you need to switch to, to have fun when riding off tarmac, as also to gain full control of the motorcycle

Off-road Pro mode

Depending the variant, the 2018 Tiger 800 features as many as six riding modes. The new addition and distinct highlight on the off-road specific variants (the XCX and XCA) is the off-road Pro mode that is new for 2018. This is in addition to the off-road mode that was on offer already. The difference between the two is that in off-road mode you still have some intervention from the traction control system but in off-road pro mode traction control is turned off completely thereby giving the rider full control and letting him slide the rear. Also, rear wheel ABS is functional in off-road mode but is switched off in off-road pro, which again gives the rider the liberty to lock the rear wheel and make quick directional changes or unsettle the rear to prompt a slide.

Gear ratios on the 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 have been revised to improve the torque delivery, particularly at low speeds

Gearbox

For 2018, Triumph has revised the gear ratios on the Tiger 800. The ratios are now shorter, particularly the first gear (shorter by 12 percent) to improve low speed rideability off-road. This helps in tackling tricky sections  be it loose gravel or steep inclines  as there's more torque going to the rear wheel at lower revs which helps avoid using the clutch, thereby ensuring a smooth climb. Ratios for the remaining gears have been shortened slightly too, to offer peak torque at lower speeds. Another major change to the Tiger 800's transmission is the removal of backlash gears, which essentially means that the gears are now precision cut to eliminate the gap that existed earlier between meshing teeth as tolerance, thereby offering smoother, quicker gear changes.

The switch for heating the grips is located very conveniently on the left palm grip

Heated grips and seats

All variants of the Tiger 800 now feature heated handlebar grips, except for the base XR where it's offered as an accessory. The XC range continues to offer heated seats as well, just like before. With temperatures in Morocco hovering around 10 degree Celsius throughout our ride, the heated grips were an absolute boon as my fingers were getting numb every few minutes. The switch for heating the grips is positioned conveniently on the left palm grip and also features two settings, which makes it a must-have when riding in cold weather.